Animal-trap.



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[Applimion med my 15, 139m l 2 Sheets-Sheet l,

(No Model.)

Nu. 634,489. Patented Oct.' i0, i899.

l E. H. WALKER.

ANIMAL TRAP. (Application xedvxay 15, 1899.; (No Model.) 2 sheets-hm 2,

. ing.

- UNITED STATES L.PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD HARIsoN vwatkan,'on DUMAS, Mississippi;

ANIMALjTaAP.

srEcIFIcATIoN To @ZZ wiz/071e itfitay concern).-

Be it known that I, EDWARD WALKER, a citizen of 4the United States,residing atDnmas, in the county of Tippah and State of Mississippi, haveinvented a new and useful Animal-Trap, of which the following is aspecificati on..

The invention relates to improvements in animal-traps.

The v'object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofanimaltraps and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and eiiicient one of'great strength and durability designed for capturing a largevariety ofyanimals and capable of automatically setting itself and of preventingthe captured animals from obtaining access to the bait.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parte hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trap constructed inaccordance with Fig. 2 is a horizontal sec- Fig. 3is a vertical Fig. 4is this invention. tional view of the same. sectional view on line 3 3of Fig, 2.

a detail perspective view of the removable'` framewhich carries theentrancae-funnel.Y Fig.

5 isga verticalsectional view similar to Fig. 3,1 a hinged door beingsubstituted for the re-' .movable frame to adapt the trap for kcatchingfSh,.1ebbtS, and thik j Like numerals of reference designatecorresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

trap or cage and extending entirely around the same to within a shortdistance of one corner of the device to providean entrance-open- Withinthe cage or casing Yis arranged a substantially cylindrical baitreceptacle consisting of a vertical wall 5 and spaced from the sides ofthe cage or casing. The vertical.

wall 5 of the central bait-receptacle 5 is pro# yvided with an extension6, arranged at one side of theentrance-opening and closing theintervening.substantially annular space r{'between the walls of thebait-receptacle and the cage. One side of the cage is iattenedV orHARISON l designates a substantially cylindrical casing or cagecomprising a top 2, a bottom 3, and a vertical wall 4E, forming thesides of the straight at S, and the adjacent portion 9 of Athe wall ofthe bait-receptacle Ais also straight, the straight portions 8 and Qforming the walls of the entrance and converging inwardly, as clearlyillustrated in Figof the accompanyingdrawings. Bythisarrangementofcagerun or compartment is provided around the latterfor the reception of thecaptured animals, which are prevented fromobtaining access to the bait.rlhis run orspace 7 extends from the entrance-opening to the wall or eX-tension 6,- by which it is closed,

When the trap is employed for catching rats, Aminks, and the like,areinovable frame 10, carrying an entrance-funnel 1l, is arranged withinthe straight outer portion of the intervening space 7 andis securedtherein by aliorizontal cross-rod 12, arranged at the entrance-openingand provided atv its terminals with hooks 13 for engaging the cage orcasing at opposite sides of the entrance-open ing. The removable frameis provided with a substantially rectangular front, and the en-ytrance-funnel 11 extends inward from the cenpering to conform to Atheconfiguration ofthe straight portion of the passagcor run, and yitcurves inward and downward at its inner end and terminates above thebottom ofthe trap `or cage. The bottom of the frame is provided with 'aninclined portion l5, extending upward and inward from a` point near thecenter of the frame to a, substantially 'U- shaped opening 1G, at whichis hinged a trapdoor 17, Vheld normally closed bya weight 1.8, in whichposition. ifelilese @Qeteuetieefof theinclined bottom portion 15. Theinclined bottom portion 15 is connected with the front of the frame byside wires, and it is supported by substantially. L-shaped portions 19ofthe side Wires,the horizontal members of the L.shaped portion 19 beingconnected by transverse wires or rods 20. The frame i s pro Wire 2l,conforming to the copfigurationgof the opening and beingoflless widththan the hinged trap-door, and this stop-wire, which is located abovethe trap-doonfis adapted to limit the upward movement of thesame.

The trap-door 17 isv hinged at the upper end'of the inclined Tportion15, and itis pro'- .and bait-receptacle a substantially circular` videdaround the door-opening 16 with astophk terthereof.. The top 14 of theframe is ta- Y vIo vided at one side with an arm 22, to which the weight18 is connected. The weight 1S, which may be of any desiredconstruction, is adapted to be counterbalanced by an animal treadingupon the hinged door, which when it is opened precipitates the animalfalling and causes it to enter the rear portion of the passage or run,and the desire of an animal to obtain access to the bait will besufcient to cause it to proceed into the trap. As soon as the animalleaves the trap-door the latter closes automatically and prevents thereturn and escape of the animal. Sufficient space is provided betweenthe rear end of the removable frame and the bottom of the trap to aiorda passage-way for the animal.

When the trap is designed for catching minks, it is preferably baitedwith live Chickens, which are introduced into the baitcompartmentthrough the top, which is provided with a door 23, held closed by asuitable fastening device 24, and as the captured. animals cannot obtainaccess to the bait the chickens will not be injured. When it is baitedfor rats and other animals, the baitreceptacle is supplied with anysubstance which will attract the animals to be captured. The capturedanimals are removed from the passage or run at a point near the rear endthereof, the vertical wall of the cage or casing being provided with adoor 25, hinged at the bottom and secured at the top by a suitablefastening device 26. The fastening devices of the said doors preferablyconsist of loops or hasps carried by the doors and hooks mounted on thelatter and adapted to engage staples or loops projecting from the cageor casing.

When the trap is employed for catching fish, the frame and theentrance-funnel are removed and a hinged door 27 is suspended within thetapering portion of the passage or run at the entrance-opening by meansof hooks 28, which engage eyes 29 of the top of the cage or casing, andthe said door 27, which is substantially L-shaped in longitudinalsection, is.

supported by the transverse rod, with its inner end slightly above thebottom of the cage or`casing. The door consists of a series of L-shapedwires connected at intervals by transverse wires and having theirinnerends pointed and adapted to prevent effectually the return and escape ofan animal. The hinged door, which is adapted to be lifted by ish passingbeneath it, may also be employed for catching rabbits, and when baitedforiish it may be readily placed Within a brook, stream, or pond.

The invention has the following advantages: The trap,which is simple,inexpensive, strong, and durable, is adapted for catching a variety ofanimals, and it is capable of preventing the captured animals fromobtaining access to lthe bait, so that a large number of animals may becaptured without replenishing the bait. The frame which carries theentrancefunnel and which is removably mounted in the entrance portion ofthe passage or run may be readily detached when it is desired to convertthe device into a fish-trap.

Changes in the form, proportion7 size, and the minor details ofconstruction within the scope of the appended claims maybe resorted towithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesof this invention.

Vhat is claimed isl. A device of the class described comprising a cageor casing having an entrance-opening, a bait-receptacle arranged withinand spaced from the Walls of the cage or casing, forming an intermediatepassage or run, and a device arranged within the passage or run andadapted to prevent thereturn of the animal, substantially as described.

2. A device of the class described comprising a cage or casing providedwith an entranceopening, a bait-receptacle arranged Within the cage orcasing and spacedfroni the sides thereof to provide a passage or run,the walls of the bait-receptacle being provided at the entrance-openingwith an extension closing one end of the passage or run, and a devicearranged within the same at the other end thereof to prevent the returnof animals, substantially as described.

3. A device of the class described comprising a substantiallycylindrical cage having an entrance-opening and flattened at one side ofthe same to provide a straight side Wall, an inner bait-receptaclespaced from the walls of the cage or casing and forming an interveningpassage or run entirely surrounding it, one side of the bait-receptaclebeing straight and provided with an extension located at theentrance-opening and closing one end of the passage or run,and a hingeddoor arranged within Vthe passage or run near the entrance-opening,substantially as described.

et. A device of the class described comprising a cage or casing havingan interior baitreceptacle and provided around the same With a passageor run, an entrance-opening into said passage or run, a removable framemounted within the cage or casing at the entrance-opening and providedwith an entrance-funnel, and a door located in rear of the entrancefunnel, substantially as described.

5. A device of the class described comprising a cage having an interiorbait-receptacle and provided around the same with a passage orrun,aremovable frame mounted in the'passage or run and comprising a front orouter portion having an entrance-funnel, a top extending downward andinward, and an i11- clined bottom portion, and a trap-door mounted onthe frame in rear of the inclined bottom portion, substantially asdescribed.

G. A device of the class described comprising a cage havingapassage-Way, a removable frame mounted in the passage-Way and providedat its front with an entrance and having its top extended downward andrearward `and terminating short of the bottom of the IOO cage or casing,said frame being provided at its bottom with an inclined portion andhaving an opening in the rear of thesaine, and a trapdoor mounted inthe' said opening, substantially as described. v

7. A device of the class described comprising a cage o1l casing havingan entrance-opening, a frame detachably mounted therein and comprising avertical front having an entrance, a top extending downward and rearwardfrom the front, and abottom having an inclined portion and provided inrear of the same with an opening and having a stop lol EDWARD HARISONWALKER.

Witnesses c J. C. FAM", J. W. STREET.

